Nausea

Exams and Tests

Blood tests will be done to check calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, PTH, and vitamin D levels. A 24-hour urine testmay bedone to determine how much calcium is being removed from the body and is leaking into the urine.

Phosphorus

The serum phosphorus test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.

Bone density test

Treatment

Surgery is the preferred treatment. Usually 3 1/2 glands are removed. The remaining tissue may be implanted in the forearm so a doctor can easily operate on it if symptoms come back. This tissue will also help the body control calcium levels.

Outlook (Prognosis)

Increased calcium levels persist or return about 20% of the time after surgery.

Possible Complications

Parathyroid hyperplasia can cause hyperparathyroidism, which leads to an increase in blood calcium levels.

MEN IIA

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Call your health care provider if:

You have any symptoms of hypercalcemia

You have a family history of a MEN syndrome

Prevention

Patients with a family history of the MEN syndromes may want to have genetic screening to check for the defective gene. Those who have the defective gene may have routine screening tests to detect any early symptoms.

Endocrine glands - illustration

Endocrine glands release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body. For instance, the pancreas secretes insulin, which allows the body to regulate levels of sugar in the blood. The thyroid gets instructions from the pituitary to secrete hormones which determine the pace of chemical activity in the body (the more hormone in the bloodstream, the faster the chemical activity; the less hormone, the slower the activity).

Endocrine glands

illustration

Parathyroid glands - illustration

The 4 parathyroid glands are located near or attached to the back side of the thyroid gland and produce pararthyroid hormone (PTH). Parathyroid hormone regulates calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium balance within the blood and bone by maintaining a balance between the mineral levels in the blood and the bone.

Parathyroid glands

illustration

Endocrine glands - illustration

Endocrine glands release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body. For instance, the pancreas secretes insulin, which allows the body to regulate levels of sugar in the blood. The thyroid gets instructions from the pituitary to secrete hormones which determine the pace of chemical activity in the body (the more hormone in the bloodstream, the faster the chemical activity; the less hormone, the slower the activity).

Endocrine glands

illustration

Parathyroid glands - illustration

The 4 parathyroid glands are located near or attached to the back side of the thyroid gland and produce pararthyroid hormone (PTH). Parathyroid hormone regulates calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium balance within the blood and bone by maintaining a balance between the mineral levels in the blood and the bone.